March 2014

Gentlemen and indeed Ladies of the Guvnors’ Assembly, as many of you know we do like to get out and about during the course of a year but to be honest this can not really happen without a bit of local knowledge from your good selves.

So with no no further adieu, the floor is open to suggestions.

April

Traditionally the Tweed Run has been the season opener in the first week or so in April, as we now know this years’ ride has now been moved to May so this year it would appear we now have a space on our dance card.

May

Well the cat is out of the bag and we have the Tweed Run on the 17th of May and to put icing on the London cake Tally Ho! Cycle Tours have offered to keep us entertained on the Sunday

June

Another busy month with the Pashley Picnic on the 1st of June (Incidentally we have been asked to help marshal the event again for free entry into the event), then a few weeks later on the 15th of June the VeloVintage soirée hosted by the Assembly’s good friends the Cope’s.

It is also probably worth mentioning the L’Eroica Britannia at this juncture, strictly speaking this comes under one of the “Should Know Better” arm of the GA but with an associated three day bike, food and drink festival several people are coming along for the adventure.

July

We are sure if you have popped your head over to the forum you will have seen the Chiltern Cycling Festival promoting their wears with a Vintage Club Run over the course of the weekend. What say you chaps?

August

Nothing to see here at the moment, any suggestions?

September

Historically the driest month of the year, would anyone care to take advantage of it?

October

Again the diary is looking a little sparse at the moment.

November

If it is November then it must be the Holly Run, the only question to be asked is “Town or Country?”

With a very familiar style of artwork the 2014 London Tweed Run has been announced on the unusually late date of 17th May.

As ever it is safe to say the event will be a sell out, but the GA have always done well in the past and managed a decent showing pre, during and après ride. Registration this year opens at 12:00pm on the 17th of March with a ticket costing £20:00, a big increase in price but to be honest still an absolute bargain for a day’s entertainment.

Hopefully we shall be able to again recruit the services of Tally Ho! Cycle Tours on the Sunday for another little jaunt around the Capital.

It’s been a long cold winter since last years’ jolly down in Devon last year, but like the Spring flowers slowly popping their heads up through the once frozen earth the Guvnors Assembly (Should Know Better Branch) have been downing the cod liver oil to lubricate their joints and popping a bit of oil on last years’ chains and generally making sure everything is ship-shape and Bristol fashion.

The “Wiggle No Excuses” is a Cambridge sportive unique in the fact that as long as you complete the ride you receive a full refund of your entry fee, or if you fail to make the event the money is passed onto charity. Early last year Mr Dodger popped the event up on the forum and as usual he promised the Guvnors Assembly that it was basically flat, and contrary to his usual form was true to his word. Six men stepped forward to answer the call.

Fortune, as ever favours the brave and the foolish and the weather for the event was cold and dry, after waiting for a couple of stragglers to turn up (sorry chaps), we assembled into team riding formation ready for the off, the flag dropped and we were away.

Mr Lincstcq, had signed up for the 40 miler and left us about ten miles into the ride, although interestingly his time was half that of us riding the longer route – the full 80 next year sir?

The rest of us pushed on with our adventure.

Sportives, like our GA Jollies are an excellent way to see parts of the country that a fellow may not usually see, and of course what better way to see these parts than by bike? We were lucky enough to have Mr Kenneth from these environs riding with us who happens to be a local chap and as such offered plenty of insider knowledge about the area.

Eighty miles later we were back over the finish line with the sort of welcome that seems to be reserved for the GA, this maybe down to the fact that the organisers can begin to pack up, but we believe it is down to the GA having a charm that puts a smile on even the most weary rider.

After a pint of anti-cramp juice we retired back to our lodgings before heading out for our evening meal in the company of the King of Belgium and a remarkably dry evening.

Mr Kenneth, a pleasure making your acquaintance. A Chapeau must be raised to Mr Lincstcq and Mr Kenneth for the completion of their first sportive. Well done gentlemen.

My we also thank Mr Josh Neil? For being a Stirling fellow and not only getting up at some unearthly hour to take photographs of the GA but kind enough to share them via the GA’s Flickr site.